Sometimes when we sit down to meditate, all types of things come up. Thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, plans, great ideas, urgent agenda items, and on and on….

The practice of meditation is first about making room for these thoughts and sensations to come up.

By watching the breath, we cultivate a steadiness of mind that allows us to see the frequency of this mental activity. As it arises, we then let it go.

This is the practice – letting go. We simply note, “Isn’t that interesting,” and return to breathing.

Over time, we become less and less swayed by all of these “important” things going on in our head, and they begin to subside. With each subsequent session, we regain control of our “monkey mind” that normally has us running all over the place every day.

We discover a deeper, more peaceful way of being. It’s just waiting there for us. It IS us. This new way is rooted in letting go, letting go, letting go, and seeing that all really is divine. It’s all good.

So just let those thoughts run. Watch the sensations come up. And come back to the stillness that is you.

Quick Meditation Tip

Through the practice of letting go, we develop a deep sense of compassion towards ourselves, and, thereby others. Allow the practice to bring more gentleness and flexibility into your life.

Quote From Adam

“Meditation teaches us to let go of what we think. Truly. In the beginning you start to realize, “I think something about just about everything.” And that’s a big discovery. “Wow, this is going on all the time.” Later, as you do your practice there are going to be bigger and bigger gaps, and through those gaps you begin to see that there’s actually a world out there that is independent of anything you may think or any opinion you may have, or any expectation.

And then it gets to the point where you learn how to diffuse your thoughts and come back to what you really want, which is a naked experience of your own life – and practice becomes the way in which that happens. Everything that we think is now out of date and the more we practice, the more out of date it becomes.

And then [your thinking] becomes annoying, and then it becomes irrelevant, and then it becomes no problem. It’s like you’re sitting on a beach and you’re watching the clouds over the ocean and it’s incredibly beautiful, and way in the background is this radio playing and you can barely even hear it, which is your thinking mind. No problem.

But it happens through attending to your practice and not having any particular attachment to what you think about what practice is or what the practice should be or what the practice is or is not doing.”

– Reggie Ray